Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia from Brussels

Thursday, July 04, 2013

The historical Lucrezia Borgia may actually have been a fine, upstanding citizen. But her popular reputation isn't so sunny and it's her legacy as a notorious poisoner that Donizetti exploits in an opera featuring a title role that's both brilliant and daunting.

On World of Opera, host Lisa Simeone presents Lucrezia Borgia from the Royal Theatre of the Mint — La Monnaie — in Brussels. Romanian soprano Elena Mosuc sings the daunting title role, with American tenor Charles Castronovo as Lucrezia's son Genarro, in a production led by conductor Julian Reynolds.